In a triumphant yet harrowing update, Olympic skiing legend Lindsey Vonn has touched down in the United States following a devastating crash at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. The 41-year-old Team USA star, who pushed through a ruptured ACL to compete, shared her raw journey home amid ongoing surgeries and recovery.
Vonn’s ordeal began on February 8 during the women’s downhill event, where she suffered a severe fall just 20 seconds in, resulting in a broken leg. Already racing on an injury from a January 30 World Cup event in Switzerland, she has undergone three surgeries so far. Keeping her global fanbase in the loop via social media, Vonn announced her return on February 17: “My leg is still in pieces…but I’m finally HOME!” She expressed deep gratitude to the medical teams who supported her through intensive care in Italy, ambulance transfers, flights, and hospital stays back in America.
Looking ahead, Vonn plans to rest before her next procedure to remove an external fixator—a device stabilizing her fractured bones. “My injury was a lot more severe than just a broken leg,” she revealed in her post. “I’m still wrapping my head around it, what it means and the road ahead…but I’m going to give you more detail in the coming days.”
If there’s one athlete built for resilience, it’s Vonn. Her mental coach, Armando Gonzalez, LMFT, previously highlighted her exceptional pain tolerance and mental fortitude to Women’s Health. “In many ways, Lindsey is one of one,” he noted, emphasizing her ability to embrace challenges head-on.
Despite the setback, Vonn stands by her choice to compete. In a February 14 Instagram reflection, she wrote, “I was willing to risk and push and sacrifice for something I knew I was absolutely capable of doing. Nothing in life is guaranteed. That’s the gamble of chasing your dreams—you might fall, but if you don’t try, you’ll never know.”
As Vonn embarks on her recovery journey, the skiing world rallies behind her. Wishing this trailblazing champion a swift and strong comeback.
